Coleus plant named ‘UF20-34-1’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Coleus (Coleus scutellarioides) plant named ‘UF20-34-1’, selected for having a combination of desirable traits that make it well-suited for utility as a colorful annual plant in the summer landscape. ‘UF20-34-1’ was selected for its consistent foliage color patterning, and for its fast growth rate and vigor in the greenhouse and landscape. ‘UF20-34-1’ has foliage that is predominantly dark red with consistent purplish red centers, and well-defined yellow green leaf margins. ‘UF20-34-1’ is exceptional because it maintains a purplish red center and bright yellow green margin in a broad range of environmental conditions. It is a vigorous plant that can easily grow four feet tall in the landscape in one season, maintaining similar color in both sun and shade. It is upright and slightly spreading in habit, but it is highly branched.

Genus and species: Coleus scutellarioides.

Cultivar denomination: ‘UF20-34-1’.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

N/A.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF FEDERAL RESEARCH SUPPORT

N/A.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW CULTIVAR

The invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Coleus plantnamed ‘UF20-34-1’. The new cultivar ‘UF20-34-1’ originated from an openpollination conducted in May-November 2019 in Citra, Fla. between thefemale Coleus plant ‘UF19-42-2’ (unpatented) and an unknown male Coleusplant. A single seedling was chosen in May 2020 for further asexualpropagation in Gainesville, Fla.

The new cultivar ‘UF20-34-1’ has been reproduced asexually for over 18months through vegetative meristem tip cuttings and has been found toretain its distinctive characteristics through successive asexualpropagations. ‘UF20-34-1’ was first propagated asexually by vegetativemeristem tip cuttings in May 2020 in Gainesville, Fla., and has remainedtrue-to-type since that time.

Plant Breeder's Rights for the new cultivar ‘UF20-34-1’ have not beenapplied for, and ‘UF20-34-1’ has not been made publicly available morethan one year prior to the filing date of this application.

When compared to the female parent ‘UF19-42-2’, the new cultivar‘UF20-34-1’ has yellow green branches with large leaves that are onlyslightly longer than they are wide. Leaves of ‘UF20-34-1’ arepredominantly dark red with a purplish red center, yellow green margins,and prominent purplish red mid-veins. In contrast, ‘UF19-42-2’ hasmaroon branches with smaller leaves that are colored dark maroon withdark green margins, with only small traces of light purplish red coloron older leaves. ‘UF20-34-1’ has a vigorous upright and spreading habitthat is well-branched, growing slightly wider than it grows tall.‘UF19-42-2’ is equally vigorous and well-branched, but has a morespreading habit, growing wider than it grows tall.

‘UF20-34-1’ was selected for its consistent foliage color patterning,and for its fast growth rate and vigor in the greenhouse and landscape.‘UF20-34-1’ has tri-colored foliage that is predominantly dark red withconsistent purplish red centers, and well-defined yellow green leafmargins. This color combination often changes when plants are grown ineither full sun (color shifts to predominantly maroon-brown) or partialshade (color shifts to predominantly green), with the consistent loss ofpurplish red center color. ‘UF20-34-1’ is exceptional because it is avigorous plant that maintains all three colors distinctly in sun orpartial shade conditions. Vegetative cuttings from ‘UF20-34-1’ formroots in one week and produce consistent tri-color foliage in thegreenhouse throughout the production cycle. ‘UF20-34-1’ grows well infull sun or partial shade and can be used as a specimen plant in smallspaces or planted in mass for quick growth and long season performancein the summer landscape.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new cultivar ‘UF20-34-1’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype of the new cultivar may varywith variations in environment and cultural practices such astemperature, light intensity, fertilization, irrigation, and applicationof plant growth regulators without any change in genotype.

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishingcharacteristics of ‘UF20-34-1’ when grown under normal horticulturalpractices in Gainesville, Fla.: ‘UF20-34-1’ has the combination ofvigorous, upright and spreading growth habit, excellent heat tolerance,and consistent tri-colored leaves that are significantly different thanother Coleus plants; it has superior stability in foliage color in bothsun and shade conditions, maintaining stable color in all conditions;‘UF20-34-1’ is a vigorous cultivar with excellent lateral branching,making it suitable for propagators and producers; and ‘UF20-34-1’ hasbeen observed to have long-season performance in landscape trials inGainesville, Fla.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

This new Coleus cultivar ‘UF20-34-1’ is illustrated by the accompanyingphotographs, which show the plant's form and foliage. The colors shownare as true as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographicprocedures. FIGS. 2-5 were taken from plants grown eight weeks fromunrooted cuttings in July-September 2022 in a glass-covered greenhousein Gainesville, Fla.

FIG. 1 shows the pedigree of the new Coleus cultivar ‘UF20-34-1’ asshown and described herein;

FIG. 2 shows the growth habit, form, and foliage of the new Coleuscultivar;

FIG. 3 shows a close-up view of the foliage of the new Coleus cultivar;

FIG. 4 shows the adaxial side of an immature leaf (left) and a matureleaf (right) of the new Coleus cultivar, with corresponding R.H.S. colordesignations; and

FIG. 5 shows the abaxial side of an immature leaf (left) and a matureleaf (right) of the new Coleus cultivar, with corresponding R.H.S. colordesignations.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE CULTIVAR

Foliage color was determined under full sun conditions in the middle ofthe day in a glass-covered greenhouse. Color references are to TheR.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London(R.H.S.), 2007 5th Edition. Coleus leaves are rarely one solid color butencompass hues, shades and tints, and color patterns differ from onegenotype to another due to varying levels of variegation. The followingdetailed description of ‘UF20-34-1’ was obtained using ten-week-oldplants grown from unrooted cuttings in February-April 2022 in aglass-covered greenhouse in Gainesville, Fla. The plants were propagatedin mist for ten days after cuttings were stuck, then grown in one-gallonpots for approximately eight and a half additional weeks.

BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

-   Botanical classification:    -   -   Family.—Lamiaceae.        -   Botanical name.—Coleus scutellarioides.        -   Common name.—Coleus.        -   Cultivar.—‘UF20-34-1’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female or seed parent.—‘UF19-42-2’.        -   Male or pollen parent.—Unknown.-   Plant description:    -   -   Habit.—Upright and spreading.        -   Height (from top of soil).—50-55 cm.        -   Width (horizontal plant diameter).—65-70 cm.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cuttings.—Vegetative meristem tip cuttings having at            least 1 node.        -   Time to initiate roots.—3-4 days.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—7-10 days.        -   Root habit.—Fibrous.        -   Root description.—Callus forms in 2-3 days, roots initiate            in 3-4 days and become a highly branched cutting in 7-10            days.-   Branches:    -   -   Quantity per plant.—Approximately 8.        -   Branch color.—RHS 143C (yellow green).        -   Texture.—Smooth.        -   Pubescence.—Not present.        -   Stem description.—Square-shaped stem.        -   Branch diameter.—0.7-0.8 cm at the base of a 40-cm-long            branch.        -   Branch length.—40-45 cm.        -   Internode length.—0.5-0.6 cm measured at mid-branch.        -   Anthocyanin.—Not present.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Quantity, of leaves per branch.—20-21.        -   Arrangement.—Opposite.        -   Fragrance.—Not fragrant.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Length.—13-14 cm.        -   Width.—10-11 cm.        -   Apex.—Broadly acute.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Crenate.        -   Leaf texture.—Upper surface: Pulverulent. Lower surface:            Smooth.        -   Venation color.—Upper surface, apex: RHS 60C (purplish red).            Upper surface, base: RHS 145C (yellow green). Lower surface:            RHS 145C (yellow green).        -   Venation pattern.—Upper surface: Reticulate. Lower surface:            Reticulate.        -   Color, immature leaf.—Upper surface, major color: RHS 187A            (dark red). Upper surface, margins: RHS 144A (yellow green).            Upper surface, area around veins: RHS 58A (purplish red).            Lower surface, major color: RHS 147B (yellow green). Lower            surface, margins: RHS 140A (yellow green). Lower surface,            area around veins: RHS 157A (pale yellow green).        -   Color, mature leaf.—Upper surface, major: RHS 187A (dark            red). Upper surface, margins: RHS 143A (yellow green). Upper            surface, area around veins: RHS 61A (purplish red). Lower            surface, major color: RHS 147B (yellow green). Lower            surface, margins: RHS 140A (yellowish green). Lower surface,            area around veins: RHS 157A (pale yellow green).        -   Petiole length.—3-3.5 cm.        -   Petiole diameter.—0.3-0.4 cm.        -   Petiole color.—RHS 144D (yellow green).        -   Petiole texture.—Smooth, no pubescence.-   Flowers and seeds: Flowers and seeds have not been observed to date    during formal trials in Gainesville, Fla.-   Fruit/seed set: Fruit/seed not observed.-   Disease and insect resistance: Disease and insect resistance is    typical of the species, thus no claims are made of any superior    disease or insect resistance with this cultivar. The most common    insect pests observed on this plant in Gainesville, Fla. have been    long-tailed or citrus mealybugs (Pseudococcus spp.), which occur on    older stock plant material held in the greenhouse for over 3-4    months. Impatiens Necrotic Spot Virus (Bunyaviridae) has also been    observed in plants confined in greenhouses with mixed crops    (peppers) infected with Western flower thrips (Frankliniella    occidentalis). The most common pathogen of this species in the U.S.    is downy mildew (Perononspora lamii). This pathogen has been    observed in stock materials grown closely together in cooler growing    seasons.

COMPARISON WITH KNOWN CULTIVARS

When the new cultivar ‘UF20-34-1’ is compared to the commercial cultivar‘UF18-51-6’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 34,848, commercial name “MainstreetOrchard Road”), ‘UF20-34-1’ has mature leaves with a lighter purplishred center coloration on the upper surface, whereas ‘UF18-51-6’ hasmature leaves with a deeper purplish red center coloration on the uppersurface. Additionally, the yellow green coloration on the leaf marginsof ‘UF20-34-1’ is much thinner compared to the broader yellow greencoloration on the leaf margins of ‘UF18-51-6’.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct Coleus scutellarioides plantnamed ‘UF20-34-1’ as shown and described herein.